Automatic towel machine



April 2, 1963 E. G. KAMEN 3,083,481

AUTOMATIC TOWEL MACHINE Filed June 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. EMANUEL GERALD KAMEN 71g. E.

Armsw April 2, 1963 Filed June 5, 1961 E. G. KAMEN AUTOMATIC TOWEL MACHINE IRRADIATE IRQNING I RlNsE a I BLEACH ULTRAsoNxc WASHING Erg.' 5.

POWER SUPPLY DRAIN VALVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IRRADIATING IRONING Y RINSING BLEACHING Rl NSING WASH ING SOAKING SPREADIMG j' 5 ULTRA-some TRANSDUERS PRESSURE elf SULENOlU INVENTOR.

EMANUEL GERALD KAMEN United States Patent O 3,083,481 AUTOMATIC TOWEL MACHlNE Emanuel Gerald Kamen, 44 Robin Lane, Levittown, NY. Filed .lune 5, 1961, Ser. No. 114,707 Claims. (Cl. 38-2) This invention concerns a roller towel dispensing and laundering apparatus. Heretofore roller towels have been mounted in cupboards or cabinets located in public washrooms. When the roller towels are soiled they must be replaced with fresh rolls. This requires frequent attention by an attendant, maintenance of a stock of fresh towels, handling and storing of soiled towels to await a fresh supply from the laundry, and other time consuming and costly administrative and handling details.

The invention is directed at overcoming these and other objections and disadvantages by providing a towel dispensing and laundering apparatus in which a single towel web is permanently disposed. The web is laundered by automatically operated means in the apparatus at a rate depending `on the frequency of use and soiling of the towel web.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an apparatus adapted to dispense fresh laundered portions of a roller towel and to launder soiled portions of the towel.

Another object is to provide a cabinet having a plurality of laundering compartments through which an endless towel web may be moved, while being laundered.

Still another object is to provide an apparatus of the character described with automatic iilling and draining means for the several laundering compartments.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description 4and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the acompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. l is a top plan View of an apparatus embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary `side elevational view, partially in section and partially diagrammat-ic illustrating part of the draining system of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a control circuit employed in the apparatus.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are llow chart diagrams employed in explaining the mode of operation of the apparatus.

In FIG. 1 and 2 is shown a cabinet 10 including a pair of vertical, parallel side panels 12, 14, and a front panel 13. Mounting plates 16, 1S at the rear side of the cabinet are secured to panels 12 14;- and may be attached to a vertical support such as a wall of a public washroom. On the opposing inner sides of panels 12, 14 are angle bars 2t), 22 -angularly disposed in a V-shaped array. These bars serve as supports for a plurality of pans 2.5-29 superimposed upon each other to dene a plurality of laundering compartments designated respectively A-E from bottom to top of the array of pans. A removable cover 3G is placed over the top pan 29. All the pans are V-shaped in cross section. Depending from the underside of each pan and extending longitudinally along the apex thereof is a scrubbing-brush 32 supported in angle brackets 33 secured to the undersides of pans 26-29 and cover 30.

A iirst pair of towel web drag rollers 3d, 36, is disposed at the front of the apparatus. The rollers are rotatably journaled on the end walls 40 of the pans. ie rollers are disposed adjacent to an elongated opening 35 formed in front wall 37 of pan 25. Inside the pan is a float controlled switch 3S for an electric switch in a housice ing 39 on wall 37, for opening and shutting the filling means.

At the rear end of the pan 2S and rotatably supported between its end Walls 4t) is an idler roller 42 located below slot 44 in pan 26. Above slot 44 is another idler roller 46 in pan 26. Idler roller 48 is located below slot 49 in pan 26. Idler roller 50 is located above the slot 49 in pan Z7. Idler roller 51 is located in pan 2.7 below slot 52 in pan 28. Idler roller 53 is located in pan 28 above slot 52. idler roller 54 is located in pan Z8 below slot 55 in pan 29. Idler roller 57 is located above slot 55 in pan 29. Roller 53 and roller 59' are located below slot `60 in cover Sti. A pair of spaced idler rollers 62, 63 are mounted above the cover between the end panels. Another pair of spaced idler rollers `64, 65 are located below rollers 62 63. A pair of towel drive rollers 66, 67 are mounted near the front of the cabinet above the cover. One of the rollers 66 and 67 is operatively connected to a motor 135 supported in panel 14 by means of a belt F and driven thereby so that the towel Tis pulled through the cabinet 1t). The motor is controlled by a switch including a horizontal bar 6d movably mounted on a switch housing located at the front of the cabinet forward of rollers 66, `67 for closing a switch 6% controlling the motor for driving the towel web T. A retractable spring 69 is interposed between the bar 6i! and switch 69.

I-Iorizontally disposed ultra-violet lamps 7f3, 72 are mounted in reflectors i4 supported by end brackets 75 on the side panels. The lamps are spaced apart, with one reflector open upwardly and the other open downwardly.

An ironing or passing assembly ySil' is mounted between the side panels. This assembly includes a sheet metal tubular housing 82 with ilat side walls between which are resistance heater coils 84. Movably mounted at the side of housing 82 and spaced therefrom are ironer or presser plates 86 and V87. The plates are welded to the ends of and are urged against sides of housing 32 by plunger bars 38 of solenoids 9d, 91 when the solenoids 90' and 91 are energized. Springs 81 attached between pressure plates 86, 87 and mounting brackets 89 urge the plates and plungers to their normally retracted positions.

Drain openings 93 are provided in each of the compartments. Communicating with these open-ings are drain pipe branches 94 best shown in FIG. 3. The pipe branches are provided with individual electrically operated valves V. The pipe branches communicate via the valves with a common drain pipe 95.

`Slots 96-99 are provided in pans 26-29 to serve as overliow openings for the washing iiuid which may be water or other suitable liquid. Pipe 161 is connected via valve 103 to a washing fluid filling opening 100 located in uppermost pan Q9. Pipe 105 is connected via valve 109 to `a bleach supply opening 162 located in pan 28. Pipe |107 is connected via valve 1111 to a detergent supply opening 104 located in pan 26. There also may be provided ultrasonic transducers TR at the underside of pan 27 exposed to compartment B to serve as ultra-sonic washing means. A detergent may be added to the washing iiuid in cornpartment B.

The towel T is an endless web passing through the cabinet 1li and out through an upper elongated slot 63 in front panel 13 over the `actuating :switch bar 69 Iand hangs down outside Ithe cabinet in ya loose loop L and re-enters the cabinet through a lower elongated slot 71 in panel 13. Inside the yfront panel 13, the web passes over a roller 73 over a flat bar 77, ibetween the drag rollers 34 and 36 and through lan elongated slot 35 in the front wall 37 of lthe pan 25. When the towel web T passes over the bar 77, it is `stretched sidewise in 4both directions from the center by means `of rotating 'brushes 166 and 161 disposed over the web yand driven by the rnc-tor M. This stretching results 3 inthe towel web reaching the drag rollers 34 and 36 in a smlooth taut condition.

The drive .for the .brush 160 is a vertically disposed driven shaft 162 connected at its top endto the motor shaft 163 =by means of a `bevel gear 165 on the driven. shaift 162 meshing with a Ibevel gear1'64- onshaft 163. The shaft 162 is supported :by a bearing` 166 on the side panel 14. A .bevel gear 167 on the bottom end of driven shaft 162 meshes with a bevel gear -168 on the brush shaft 169, supported by a bearing 170.

The drive for the brush, 161 is by means of a pulley 171 on the end of shaft 169 and a crossed belt 172 connected to 'a pulley 173 'on the end of the shaft 169 of brush 161. By reason of this drive, the. brushes rotate in opposite directions.

Inside the bottom pan 25, the towel webT passes down through the washing huidl W'l in soaking pan A. The web passes around scrubbing brush 32 in compartmentA, then around the idler roller 42, up through slot 44 and over idler roller 46 in washing compartment B. The web passes through the washing urid W2 in pan B, around the scrubbing brush 3-2 and up to roller 48, then through slot 49 to roller 50 in compartment C. Compartment C contains rinse water W3. The web passes through the rinse water, `around the scrubbingfbrush 32 and up to roller S1, through slot 52' to roller 53. The web passes through bleaching water W4 in compartment D, around scrubbing brush 32 and up to roller 54 through slot 55, and up to roller 56 in compartment E. Compartment E contains rinse 'water W5.

The web passes around scrubbing brush 32 in compart- |ment E to rinsing rollers 58, 59, then through slot 60 to` roller 62, down between retracted plate 86 and housing 82 to rollers 641and 65, then up between plate 87 and housing 821to roller 63. The web then passes between the irradiating lamps 70, 72' to drive rollers 66, 67 and through these rollers to and through slot 68 Vand hangs loosely outside -the cabinet to form loop L, lwhich is used for cleaning and drying.

iFIG. 5 illust-rates the -full laundering cycle of the appanatus. The towel web is spread and smoothed by the brushes 160 and 161. Soaking of the web is accomplished in compartment A, washing in compartment B, rinsing in compartment` C, bleaching in compartment D, final rinse in compartment E, ironing in the ironing assembly, and irradiation for sterilization lbetween lamps '70, 72, whereupon the -fresh laundered portion of the web is, dispensed outwardly of the cabinet through slot 68.

The pans are lfilled with Iwashing fluid such as water, the lbleaoh and `detergent `are supplied, and water is drained from the .pans in an automatic cycle. The water is supplied via pipe 101 communicating with opening 100Avia vtalvev 103, shown -in FIG. 2. 'I'he water llscompartment E, spills over through slot 99 to compartment D. The water spills over in succession through slots 98, 97, and 96 as each compartment is filled until compartment A isv filled. The water ow is cut off when iloat switch 38.

operates its switch. All the pans are drained' at periodic intervals determined lby the control systemV of the apparatus shown schematically in FIG. 4. The control system is largely contained in cabinet shown yat the side of panel 12 in FIG. 2.

In the control system of FIG. 4, there is provided a power supply 125 controlled =by a switch 125. VAnn '126 of timer 1127 is connected to the power supply. 'Ihe timer arm is rotated by motor 128 continuously. Arcuate contacts `130, 13.1 and 132 are provided on the timer. Valves V are `all connected -to contact `130'. Detergent and bleach filling controls valves 111 and 109 are connected to contact i131. Water lling vulve 103 is connected to contact 132 via float y38 controlling a switch 39.

.A motor `1135 is operatively connected to one of the rollers V66 and 67 by means of a belt B and driven thereby so The motor is in series with normally open contacts 140, 141 of a switch of a relay 142. The motor is connected in parallel to bus bars 144, 145 to which bars are also connected in parallel the ironer heater coils 84, lamps 70, 72, the pressure plate solenoids 90, 91 and the ultrasonic transducers TR switch 150 controlled by a normally open push' typeof switch 152 connected in series with an auxiliary power supply or battery .151 and the coil of relay 142.

Suppose now that a person approaches the apparatus assembled as shown in the drawing and starts the motor 135 by pulling down a fresh length of the towel web T and thus closing switch 69. This will close the energizthat the towel T is pulled through the cabinet 10 when ing circuit of relay 142 to close contacts 140,v 141. The dn've motor 135 will advance the same length of the web through the apparatus. A soiled length of the web will enter compartment A for soaking. An equal length of the web will enter compartment B for washing. Actuation of the transducers TR while the soiled. length of the web entersV compartment B will etect washing. The transducers TR replace agitation of the washing uid to a superlative degree. The presence of detergent will facilitate and speed up the washing process. Since the path of the web in compartment B is; quite long,` the soiled' portions of the towel will be subjected to several washing actions in compartment B dun'ng each advance of the webv in the apparatus.

While the motor runs advancing the towel web solenoids 90, 91 are actuated to close plates 86, 87 forcing the towel web T against the ironer housing 82 which is heated by energized coils 84. At the same time lamps 70, v72 are lighted. If desired these lamps may be connected in a separate circuit and maintained continuously lighted.

At periodic intervals, at night for example, when the apparatus would normally not be in use, the arm 126 of timer 127 Vwill come around to contact 130 and all the drain valve switches of drain valvesV V will be opened to drain the pans 25-29. After draining, the arm moves on to contact 131 and fresh bleach and detergent are added to compartments D and B respectively. Thereafter fresh Washing fluid is added to the compartments as the arm 126 reaches contact 132. Contact l132 is arcuately longer than the other contacts and arm 126 will travel over this contact during the usual operating time of the apparatus when it is available to the public. Washing duid supply is cut off when iloat 38 of switch 39 rises, but at any time during operation of the apparatus when the level of water falls sufficiently in compartment A, freshv washing fluid will be added to the apparatus as switch 39 closes., The arrangement is such that fresh washing uid can only' bey added when the switch 39 is closed in the uppermost position of oat 38.

FIG.v 6 illustrates a more limited laundering arrangement in which only one rinsing step is employed, with bleaching combined with rinsing by adding the bleach to the rinse water. The bleach could be added to the soak or wash water or may be omitted entirely. The washing step employs ultra-sonic techniques` and detergent is omitted. If desired a greater number of laundering compartments than the live shown inthe drawing may be employed depending on the complexity of ther laundering cycle desired.

The invention described, makes it possible to provide the publc with continuously fresh towel service, without requiringconstant servicing. The apparatus will operate until the towel web T is worn out which may require weeks or months. r[hen the apparatus can be disassembled and a new towel webcan be supplied. The several idler and drive rollers are preferably made removable from the pans to facilitate mounting of a new web, or the web can be drawn from a roll in length and sewn together at its end after mounting in the apparatus.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein .disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

l. An endless towel dispensing and laundering apparatus, comprising a cabinet including a pair of spaced vertical panels, a plurality of pans stacked in a vertical array to define aplurality of compartments therebetween, a cover over the uppermost compartment, each of said pans and coverhaving a V-shaped cross section, guide rollers disposed in the several compartments, a pair of drive rollers outside said compartments for driving an endless towel web, washing fluid filling means including a rst valve controlled means for iilling the uppermost compartment with washing fluid, each of said pans in the compartments except the lowermost pan having an overiiow slot through which uid spills to a lower compartment, drive means for driving the drive rollers to advance the web through the compartments, an ironing assembly located above said cover and adapted to engage an endless web for pressing and drying the same, washing means in one of the compartments for washing soiled portions of an endless web passing through said one compartment, switch means and control means operatively connecting the switch means, drive means and ironing asembly to eect laundering of soiled portions of an endless web while a fresh laundered length of the web is drawn from said drive rollers as said switch means is actuated, said ironing assembly including movably mounted pressure plates spaced apart, a fiatsided heater disposed between the pressure plates, and roller means guiding the web between said pressure plates and heater.

2. An endless towel dispensing and laundering apparatus, comprising a cabinet including a pair of spaced vertical panels, a plurality of pans stacked in a vertical array to define a plurity of compartments therebetween, a cover over the uppermost compartment, each of said pans and cover having a V-shaped cross section, guide rollers disposed in the several compartments, a pair of drive rollers outside of the compartments for driving an endless towel web, washing fluid filling means including a first valve controlled means for filling the uppermost compartment with washing luid, each of said pans in the compartments except the lowermost pan having an overilow slot through which iluid spills to a lower compartment, drainage means including valve controlled drain outlets in each compartment for draining liuid therefrom, a oat actuated switch in the lowermost compartment operatively connected to the irst valve controlled means to cut-oilc washing luid supply to the uppermost compartment when the fluid in the lowermost compartment reaches a predetermined level, means for driving the drive rollers to advance an endless web through the compartments, and washing means in a certain one of the compartments for washing soiled portions of an endless web therein, said washing means including ultra-sonic transducers, in the one compartment, and an ironing assembly located above said cover and adapted to engage an endless web for pressing and drying the same.

3. An endless towel dispensing and laundering apparatus, comprising a cabinet including a pair of spaced vertical panels, a plurality of pans stacked in a vertical array to dene a plurality of compartments therebetween, a cover over the uppermost compartment, each of said pans and cover having a V-shaped cross section, guide rollers disposed in the several compartments, a pair of drive rollers outside the compartments for driving an endless towel web, washing fluid filling means including a first valve controlled means for lling the uppermost compartment with water, each of said pans in the compartments, except the lowermost pan having an overow slot through which uid spills to a lower compartment, drainage means including valve controlled rain outlets in each compartment for draining lluid therefrom, a iloat actuated switch in the lowermost compartment operatively connected to the rst valve controlled means to cut-off washing fluid supply to the uppermost compartment when the fluid in the lowermost compartment reaches a predetermined level, means for driving the drive rollers to advance the web through the compartments, and washing means in a certain one of the compartments for washing soiled portions of an endless web therein, an ironing assembly located above said cover and adapted to engage an endless web for pressing and `drying the same, switch means located outside of an endless web having a portion passing over said latter switch means and adapted to actuate the same when a loose portion of the web is pulled down, and control means operatively connecting the latter switch means, roller drive means, ironing assembly, and washing means to eilect laundering of soiled portions of the web and advancing of portions of the web through the compartments when the latter switch means is actuated, and irradiation lamps located above the pans between said ironing assembly and latter switch means to sterilize the web, said lamps connected in circuit with said control means for lighting when said latter switch means is actuated.

4. An endless towel dispensing and laundering apparatus, comprising a cabinet including a pair of spaced vertical panels, a plurality of pans stacked in a vertical array to define a plurality of compartments therebetween, a cover over the uppermost compartment, each of said pans and cover having a V-shaped cross section, guide rollers disposed in the several compartments, a pair of drive rollers outside the compartments for driving an endless towel web, washing uid lilling means including a rst valve controlled means for filling the uppermost compartment with water, each of said pans in the compartments except the lowermost pan having an overliow slot through which iluid spills to a lower compartment, drainage means including valve controlled drain outlets in each compartment for draining iluid therefrom, a float actuated switch in the lowermost compartment operatively connected to the first valve controlled means to cut-ofi? washing fluid supply to the uppermost compartment when the iluid in the lowermost compartment reaches a predetermined level, means for driving the drive rollers to advance the web through the compartments, and washing means in a certain one of the compartments for washing soiled portions of the web therein, an ironing assembly located above said cover and adapted to engage an endless web for pressing and drying the same, switch means, control means operatively connecting the latter switch means, roller drive means, ironing assembly, and washing means to etect laundering of soiled portions of the web and advancing of portions of the web through the compartments when the latter switch means is actuated, and irradiation lamps located above the pans between said ironing assembly and latter switch means to sterilize the web, said lamps connected in circuit with said control means for lighting when said latter switch means is actuated, and towel web spreading and smoothing mechanism including a pair of spaced brushes disposed in contact with the towel web at its sides and turning in opposite directions perpendicularly of the direction of movement of the towel web, and means connected to the r'irst mentioned means for driving the drive rollers for actuating said brushes.

5. An endless towel dispensing and laundering apparatus, comprising a cabinet including a pair of spaced vertical panels, a plurality of pans stacked in a Vertical array to define a plurality of compartments therebetween, a cover over the uppermost compartment, each of said pans and cover having a rl-shaped cross section, guide rollers disposed in the several compartments, a pair of drive rollers outside the compartments for driving an endless towel web, Washing iiuid filling means including a rst valve controlled means for illing the uppermost compartment with washing uid, each of said pans in the compartments exceptl the lowermost pan having an overilow slot through which uid spills to a lower compartment, drainage means including valve controlled drain 'outlets in each compartment for draining washing fluid therefrom, a oat actuated switch in the lowermost compartment operatively connected to the rst valve controlled means to cut-oil washing fluid supply to the uppermost compartment when the uid in the lowermost compartment reaches a predetermined level, means for "driving the drive rollers to advance the Webthrough the compartments, and washing means in a certain one of the compartments for washing soiled portionsV of an endless Web therein, valve controlled bleach discharge means opening into. another of the compartments, valve con- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,948,239 Redd Feb. 20, 1934 2,295,955 La Page Sept. 15, 1942 2,609,623 Miller Sept. 9, 1952 2,655,022 Wells Oct. 13, 1953 2,904,981 Macomsonv Sept. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 269,880 Germany Feb. 2, 1914 362,557 Great Britain Dec. 10, 1931 

1. AN ENDLESS TOWEL DISPENSING AND LAUNDERING APPARATUS, COMPRISING A CABINET INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED VERTICAL PANELS, A PLURALITY OF PANS STACKED IN A VERTICAL ARRAY TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS THEREBETWEEN, A COVER OVER THE UPPERMOST COMPARTMENT, EACH OF SAID PANS AND COVER HAVING A V-SHAPED CROSS SECTION, GUIDE ROLLERS DISPOSED IN THE SEVERAL COMPARTMENTS, A PAIR OF DRIVE ROLLERS OUTSIDE SAID COMPARTMENTS FOR DRIVING AN ENDLESS TOWEL WEB, WASHING FLUID FILLING MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST VALVE CONTROLLED MEANS FOR FILLING THE UPPERMOST COMPARTMENT WITH WASHING FLUID, EACH OF SAID PANS IN THE COMPARTMENTS EXCEPT THE LOWERMOST PAN HAVING AN OVERFLOW SLOT THROUGH WHICH FLUID SPILLS TO A LOWER COMPARTMENT, DRIVE MEANS FOR DRIVING THE DRIVE ROLLERS TO ADVANCE THE WEB THROUGH THE COMPARTMENTS, AN IRONING ASSEMBLY LOCATED ABOVE SAID COVER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN ENDLESS WEB FOR PRESSING AND DRYING THE SAME, WASHING MEANS IN ONE OF THE COMPARTMENTS FOR WASHING SOILED PORTIONS OF AN ENDLESS WEB PASSING THROUGH SAID ONE COMPARTMENT, SWITCH MEANS AND CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE SWITCH MEANS, DRIVE MEANS AND IRONING ASSEMBLY TO EFFECT LAUNDERING OF SOILED PORTIONS OF AN ENDLESS WEB WHILE A FRESH LAUNDERED LENGTH OF THE WEB IS DRAWN FROM SAID DRIVE ROLLERS AS SAID SWITCH MEANS IS ACTUATED, SAID IRONING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING MOVABLY MOUNTED PRESSURE PLATES SPACED APART, A FLATSIDED HEATER DISPOSED BETWEEN THE PRESSURE PLATES, AND ROLLER MEANS GUIDING THE WEB BETWEEN SAID PRESSURE PLATES AND HEATER. 